One Second Can Change Everything
by Hotly81173
Summary: Summary: Will one selfless act bring two people together or will it all be too much for one of them to handle?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own… you know they say good things come to those who wait, well it's been six years and I am still waiting damn it ! (Don't want to own the ones with Elle in them … sorry no offense to the people that like her. I don't dislike her but I love Emily) **

**Summary: Will one selfless act bring two people together or will it all be too much for one of them to handle?**

**One Second Can Chang Everything**

**Chapter 1**

SSAIC Aaron Hotchner and SSA Emily Prentiss moved their way along the edge of the roof looking for Shelby Ryan, the UNSUB who had been one step ahead of them for the past two weeks. In that time he had raped and murdered another four women bringing the total dead to fifteen. Fifteen senseless deaths that could have been avoided if the NYPD and the DA's office had been able to make the charges stick and not had to release him on a technicality.

The NYPD had caught Ryan after he had raped and beat his first victim; she had survived the brutal attack but the hospital had messed up the chain of command with the rape kit which made it inadmissible, throwing the whole case out.

Shelby Ryan wasted no time till he had moved on to his next victim; who hadn't been so lucky, they found her body in Central Park three days after he had been released from custody. In the four weeks and a half weeks that followed another ten women had been found; all brutally raped and beaten to death, their bodies dumped in Central Park. That's when the Police Chief decided to call in the FBI; the BAU to exact, but it was all too little too late because Ryan was on the run around the city and always one step ahead of them all.

At least that was the case till Hotch and his team had gotten a tip off of his location. Now they had him cornered on the roof of the abandoned apartment building he had been hiding out in.

Hotch and Emily moved cautiously around the roof, knowing Ryan was up here somewhere. Hotch moved ahead of Emily stopping when he heard a sound to the right of them.

"Shelby Ryan, this is SSA Aaron Hotchner with the FBI. I need you to throw out any weapons you have and come out with your hands above your head."

Silence… Hotch took another step when Emily saw Ryan out of the corner of her eye, he raised his gun aiming at Hotch.

"HOTCH!" Emily screamed running towards Hotch shoving him to the ground as the shot rang out.

Hotch heard Emily's second scream as he rolled on the ground; turning to see her holding her side under her arm where she wasn't protected by the Kevlar vest she wore. Blood seeping through her fingers as she looked at him; the power of the impact from the bullet making her lose her footing causing her stumble backwards over the side of the building, falling thirty feet to the roof below screaming for him as she fell. 


	2. Chapter 2

**One Second Can Change Everything **

**Chapter 2**

Hotch heard Emily's second scream as she fell.

"EMILY!" Hotch screamed as he heard another shot ring out in the night. Turning he saw Ryan fall to the ground with a gunshot through his forehead. Hotch turned to see SSA Dave Rossi before turning and running to the ledge peering over. He saw Emily lying there face down motionless; he took the fire escape stairs two at a time down to the roof where she was at, running to Emily before Dave had a chance to ask what had happened.

It all had happened so fast; one second she was standing there and the next she was gone. And in that one second everything changed.

"Emily?" his voice cracked as he tried to bite back the tears and the bile rising in his throat. He felt for a pulse and heaved a sigh of relief; even though it was faint at least she was still alive.

"Dave get help." He ordered as Dave came running up behind him.

Dave took in the sight before him as he called across the radio for help. Kneeling down beside his two closest friends he looked at Hotch; he had only seen him like this one other time and that was when Haley had been killed. The tears flowed down Hotch's face as he gently pushed the hair back off of Emily's face as the blood ran from her nose and mouth.

"Aaron, what the hell happened?"

"Dave it was supposed to be me, she took the bullet for me. She shoved me out of the way. Why would she do that?" Hotch said even though it was a question he knew there was no answer for it.

"Dave where the hell are the paramedics? They should have been here already. Dave I can't lose another woman I love; I don't think I could handle it this time." He said, admitting for the first time out loud that he loved Emily Prentiss.

"Does she know?" Dave questioned his friend.

"No." Hotch answered shaking his head.

"Then you need to tell her now Aaron. You need to tell her, give her a reason to fight." Dave told him knowing if she could hear him she would fight with everything she had.

Emily had confided in Dave a year before that she was in love with Hotch. He remembered back to their conversation as if it had happened yesterday.

Hotch had been sitting in the back of an ambulance getting his arm bandaged up from a gunshot that went through and through. Emily had walked off to the side of the building to try and hide for a minute while she collected herself. Dave had found her there crying and just held her as she let the tears consume her.

"He's ok Em."

"I know it's just that… I…" She just shook her head not knowing what to say.

"You love him don't you?"

"Yes. I'm in love with my boss and he will never know."

"Why?"

"Because he could never love me Dave and even if he did I would not let him jeopardize his job or career for me. I won't ask him to choose, I love him enough to never ask that of him. I'm not Haley and I could never put that kind of burden him."

"Emily, you never know unless…" he started only to have her cut him off.

"No Dave, I can't and won't ever tell him… I love him more than that. It would not be fair to him. Haley has only been gone 6 months; he's not ready for that, for this."

"Emily I can tell you one thing, Hotch and Haley were over a long time before she died. Yes he loved her but they were not in love with each other anymore. Give him the option of making the decision for himself, don't make it for him. Tell him how you feel and let him decide because you never know he just might feel the same."

"I can't Dave and please don't tell him ok. Please."

"I promise I won't say anything Em but one day you might regret not saying something to him Em. Just think about it."

"I will and thank you Dave."

Dave's wondering thoughts were brought back to the present as he heard Hotch speaking gently to Emily.

"Emily please don't go…you have to stay for me, I need you Emily. Please hang on… you need to fight ok. Open your eyes sweetie please. Let me see those beautiful eyes Emily… please don't leave me… I love you Emily." Her breathing was becoming shallower and her pulse was getting weaker but still she hung on. Fighting. One little breath at a time, she hung on.


	3. Chapter 3

**One Second Can Change Everything **

**Chapter 3**

Her breathing was becoming shallower and her pulse was getting weaker but still she hung on. Fighting. One little breath at a time, she hung on.

Forty-five minutes later Emily was in surgery as the rest of the team sat in the waiting room praying for her to pull through.

Jennifer Jareau and Penelope Garcia sat holding hands, crying while they waited for someone to come out and give them news on their friend.

Derek Morgan, Spencer Reid, and David Rossi sat across from the two blondes, all three men watching Hotch pace back and forth in a daze.

It seemed like days had passed when in reality it had been nowhere near that long, as they waited anxiously for word.

Section Chief Erin Strauss walked through the doors of the waiting room stopping to address Hotch.

"Agent Hotchner, any word yet on the condition of Agent Prentiss?"

"No ma'am, there's been no word yet."

"How long has she been in surgery?"

Hotch looked at the clock on the wall before answering his Section Chiefs question.

"Three and a half hours."

"I can't believe no one has come out and given you an update on her condition. Give me a minute." Strauss said turning going back out into the hallway.

The team could her Strauss out in the hallway raising her voice.

"I don't give a damn about hospital policies. Emily Prentiss is an agent with the FBI and those people in there are members of her team. Those people are her family, closer than any blood relative she may have. Now you will go in there and tell her family what the hell is going on… NOW!"

"Yes ma'am, I'll get one of the doctors to come in right away." The nurse said before she ran off nearly in tears.

Strauss walked back into the waiting room to a stunned team. She looked around at all of them; envious of their closeness, before speaking.

"I know I have not shown my support of this team in the past and I sincerely apologize for my actions. Your team is the highest functioning and most dedicated, devoted and loyal team we have and I deeply regret thinking it would be better off dismantled. You all have stood by each other through the darkest and most difficult situations imaginable and have even stood by me when I was self-destructing. You could have reported me about my drinking problem but instead you chose to help me and there are no words I could ever say that would be enough to repay you. All I can say is thank from the bottom of my heart. I hope one day I can be brought into the folds of your little family but I also know it will take time for you to trust me if you ever do, which I understand completely if you never do. Again I truly apologize to all of you for my actions in the past and I sincerely regret ever hurting any of you if I have done so in the past. If there is anything else I can do for you or your team Aaron please let me know."

"Thank you Erin, we really appreciate it. Would you like to stay and wait with us?" Hotch asked looking at the others.

"Yes thank you, I would like that."

Ten more minutes passed before the doctor finally arrived.

"Hello I'm Dr. Jones. Are you all here for Ms. Prentiss?"

"Yes we are and it's Agent Prentiss." Reid said a little more forcefully than intended.

"Sorry. Agent Prentiss is in recovery at the moment and will be moved to ICU in about an hour. The bullet entered through the right side just under her arm. The bullet went through her right lung but miraculously missed any other vital organs before exiting the back of her left shoulder. As for the damage she sustained in the fall, it is a miracle the fall didn't kill her. Her left wrist was broken and we set it, she has a broken cheekbone and a fractured skull which at the moment is not causing her any problems but if her brain starts to swell we will have to go in and relieve the pressure on her brain. Considering the height she fell from I am surprised her injuries were not more extensive. Other than the wrist, cheekbone and skull fracture all she sustained were scrapes and bruises most were to her face and arms. I was told she landed face down which I know this may sound strange but that may be what saved her from more serious injuries. I have seen it before and I have seen the outcome a lot worse for someone who fell only half the distance as Agent Prentiss. She is one very lucky woman."

"Will she make it Dr. Jones?" Hotch asked.

"Well depending on how she does the next twenty four hours I see no reason why she wouldn't make a full recovery. We have put her in a drug induced coma so we can monitor her brain for swelling. By putting her in a coma it will help keep her body from being over stimulated and causing more stress to her brain. If she is still doing good in twenty four hours we will stop the drugs we are giving her to keep her in a coma and we will wait for her to wake up to see the full extent of the injury to her brain. She should wake up relatively quickly; it could take a matter of minutes or it could take hours or even days for her to come to. I am sorry but I can only allow one of you in with her at a time while she is in ICU. Do you have any questions?"

"Did she ever regain consciousness before she was taken to surgery?" Hotch asked praying for a sign that she was fighting.

"She woke up momentarily, which is a good sign. I would have to say that Agent Prentiss is a very headstrong and very determined woman who doesn't like being told what to do."

"Why is that Dr.?" Hotch asked him raising his eyebrows in confusion.

"Well she kept trying to tell me that she was fine and all she needed was some help sitting up so she could breathe better." The team laughed a little at that.

"She kept saying to tell Aaron that she was sorry for pushing him and she was sorry she scared him and then she said she wanted her clothes because she needed to go home and feed her cat."

"Leave it to Emily, always worried about everyone else no matter what kind of shape she is in." Rossi said.

"I don't think I have ever had a patient argue with about being ok in the condition she was in when she got here. Now if you will excuse me I need to go check on Agent Prentiss."

"When will be able to see her?" Hotch asked, his voice shaking a little.

"Give me about forty-five minutes and I'll come take one of you to see her."

"Thank you." Hotch said shaking the Dr.'s hand.


	4. Chapter 4

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 4**

Relieved, Hotch sat in the chair next to Dave sighing propping his elbows on his knees before burying his face in his hands.

"She's a fighter Aaron, she'll pull through this." Dave said as he patted Hotch on the back trying to reassure him.

Hotch sat up up and looked at Dave and Dave could see the tears in his eyes that he was trying hard not to let fall in front of the others.

"Dave why don't and the others head home, the paperwork can be done later. I'm gonna call Jessica and let her know what's going on and see if she can keep Jack tonight. I'm going to stay with Emily but can you try to reach her mother to let her know what's happened."

"I'll try and reach her but I think Emily said she was on an extended trip to Italy. I'll get Strauss to call the Embassy there if I can't reach her by phone. If you need anything, anything at all you call me ok."

Strauss and the team had been gone about fifteen minutes when Dr. Jones came to take Hotch up to Emily's room.

"Agent… I'm sorry I didn't catch your name earlier."

"Aaron Hotchner." Hotch said shaking the older man's hand again.

"Agent Hotchner if you would follow me I'll take you to see Agent Prentiss now."

Hotch followed the man down the hall to the elevators.

"So I take it you are the Aaron that Agent Prentiss was referring to when she woke earlier."

"Yes I am but I don't understand why she would think she needed to apologize."

Hotch said as they were exiting the elevator on the sixth floor where the ICU was located.

"Well I'm sure she can tell you that when she wakes."

"How is she doing?"

"She is doing good considering everything she has been through. Her vitals are strong and her brain activity is excellent and showing no signs of swelling."

The doctor stopped outside of Emily's room turning to Hotch.

"Agent Hotchner, talk to her and let her hear your voice. Some people believe that people in comas can't hear us talking to them but there are studies to show otherwise. I for one am a strong believer that they can hear us. I believe when they hear someone speaking to them; especially if it is someone they know; it helps with their recovery time speeding it up tremendously. Just talk to her and let her know you are there. Hold her hand; let her feel your touch as you talk to her, it will connect her to the real world. I had one of the nurses set up a cot for whoever stayed with her, I figured someone would want to stay the night with her and the cot beats the chairs in the rooms."

"Thank you I know it's against hospital policy. I really appreciate it."

"It's the least I can do Agent Hotchner. I believe that any contact that Agent Prentiss has with the people closest to her will only benefit her in the long run. And that is my only concern right now, getting her on the road to recovery. When she is released she really does not need to be left alone for the first three or four weeks. Head injuries can be tricky and that will give us enough time to make sure her skull and brain is healing properly."

"I understand, thank you." Hotch replied.

Hotch pushed open the door and eased his way inside the room. He listened to the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and to the sound of the ventilator pushing oxygen into her lungs. He made his way over to the bed and let out a small gasp when he saw the condition of her beautiful face. The left side of her face didn't have a mark on it besides some bruising under her eye; the right side of her face was a different story. There were scrapes along her jaw and fore head, her cheek had a deep laceration along her cheekbone and swollen harshly. Like the bruise under her left eye so was the right, but the bruising extended and covered almost the whole right side of her face.

Tears sprang to his eyes immediately at the sight of her. Hotch took the chair next to the bed and touched her right hand gently before folding his hand around hers, squeezing gently.

"Oh Emily I'm so sorry. It should have been me not you. Why did you do that? God Emily I could have lost you… I could have lost you before I had a chance to… to tell you that I love you Emily."

Hotch reached up with his free hand and brushed her hair back off her face tenderly.

"You have to get better Em. You can't leave us, you can't leave me. Please fight ok. I love you Emily Prentiss and I need you to give me the chance to tell you face to face."


	5. Chapter 5

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 5**

"I love you Emily Prentiss and I need you to give me the chance to tell you face to face."

The nurse came in to check the vitals and brain activity on her patient. Hotch watched as she adjusted the oxygen levels on the ventilator and checked her blood pressure.

"Everything is still looking good Agent Hotchner. Why don't you rest and I'll be back in an hour to check on her again." The nurse told him.

"Thank you but I don't think I will be able to rest much tonight. Is there a coffee machine around here anywhere?"

"There are vending machines in the room next to the nurses' station and there is a coffee pot in there. If you like I'll get you a cup. How do you take it?"

"Thank you. Black with two sugars would be great."

"Ok I'll be right, is there anything else you need?"

"No thank you, coffee will be fine."

The nurse was back within a few minutes and handed the cup to Hotch before turning and leaving him alone with her patient.

Hotch sipped on his coffee before picking up the phone on the stand beside the hospital bed; dialing Dave's number automatically.

"Rossi." Dave said as he answered his phone.

"Dave, it's me." Hotch said as he took a hold of Emily's hand again.

"Aaron how is she?"

"She's hanging in there. Like you said she's a fighter, but we've always known that." His breath caught in his throat. "I thought we had lost her this time Dave. She has been through so much over her time on this team that I don't know how much more she can take before she breaks."

"Aaron stop, she is strong and has a great head on her shoulders. When she has recovered from this she will be fine. She'll know how to compartmentalize this just like she has in the past. Don't make it more than it is; don't make it harder on her than it has to be. Don't make her feel like you don't trust her."

"That's not it at all Dave and you know it."

"Then what is it Aaron?"

"I trust Emily with my life; if I didn't it would be me in that bed instead of her or worse. I just don't want this to the be final straw for her; after everything else she has been through I don't want her to decide that she has had enough."

"Well that is her decision and no one else. You talk to her and help her deal with it if she does have difficulty dealing with it this time. No matter what she decides be there for her, that's all any of us can do."

"I know; you're right as always. I just don't want to lose her; I've waited too long to tell her how I feel." He said running his hand through his hair.

"Dave I need you to bring me my ready bag from the hotel in the morning and I still haven't called Jessica. Can you call her for me and let her know what's going on?"

"I'll call her, you just try and get some rest. Oh I finally got a hold of the Ambassador and informed her of Emily's condition. She was upset needless to say but she can't get away yet but she would like to be kept informed of her condition. I told her we would be in touch as soon as there is a change."

"Thanks Dave."

"I'll call you soon Aaron. Give my girl kiss for me ok."

"I will Dave and tell Jack I love him."

"Sure thing."

After their phone call ended all could do was sit and stare at Emily. His thoughts began to wonder back to all the times she had been hurt by an UNSUB. The car she had been in had been hit by a truck and it rolled down a hill and the UNSUB had choked the life out of the officer who driving, she had been held hostage and beaten by a cult leader, she had taken a 2X4 to the head by a man who liked to rip the hearts out of woman. Tackled by an UNSUB who took her by surprise which had resulted in a concussion when she hit her head on the concrete floor; then there was the time she had broken her ankle chasing an UNSUB through the woods. She had been sliced across her side when she was almost stabbed by an UNSUB the only thing that saved her was she had seen it coming and had moved just in time to prevent taking the full length of the knife to her stomach. How could anyone be expected to want to stay in a job that was so dangerous especially after being hurt so many times. Why was it her that always seemed to get hurt.

Why couldn't he keep her safe? Or was is that he just noticed it more because it was her over everyone else on the team? They all had been hurt on the job at one time or another, so why did it bother him more when it was her?

He knew it was because he was in love with her. But would that ever be enough to keep her safe? Or would it be the thing that got her killed because he was distracted? He shook his head; he knew the answer to that one, yes he loved her but not once had he ever let that interfere with him doing his job. He was always professional especially in the field because he knew that it wasn't just his safety that was at stake but the safety of his team as well. There is nothing he would ever do to jeopardize anyone on that team because; as Garcia had pointed out on more than occasion, they were a family and he would do whatever he could to protect his family.


	6. Chapter 6

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 6**

They were a family and he would do whatever he could to protect his family.

Hotch snapped out of his train of thought as the nurse came back in to check on Emily. He sat there and watched her check the machines and Emily's vitals.

"How is she?" was all he could say over the lump in his throat that had been there all night.

"She is doing extremely well. Dr. Jones may take her off the medicine that is keeping her in the coma early if she keeps improving at this rate." She said before walking out.

Hotch stood next to the bed holding Emily's hand in his rubbing his thumb back and forth over the top of hers. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead gently brushing his knuckles along her cheek.

"You shouldn't have done that Emily but thank you… you always seem to be there when I need you."

His thoughts wondered back to all the times she had been there when he needed someone. She had been the one to find him after Foyet had dumped him at St. Sebastian Hospital. She had been the one to step forward and help him and Jack after Haley had been killed. She had been there for it all. He realized that through all the traumatic events in his life she had always been there to comfort him. Hell she had been there for most of the non-traumatic event as well. Since the day she had tendered her resignation and he had asked her join him on the jet for one last case she had always been there for him; no questions asked except the occasional 'Do you need anything?' or 'Do you want to talk about it?' Never once had she judged or criticized him, never had she made him feel less than the agent or father he was.

She made him feel like a whole man instead of two separate people like Haley insisted on him being. He never had to shut one of them off with Emily. She had always just let him be him; Hotch the Unit Chief of the BAU and Aaron the father and friend to precious few.

He trusted very few, Dave being at the top of his list, Emily following in close second. If it weren't for the fact that Dave had been a dear friend for so many years, Emily would have that top slot. He had shared things with her he would never have thought of sharing with anyone else, not even Haley.

Hell he loved Emily in a way that he never could have loved Haley. He loved her stronger, deeper and more honestly than he ever had Haley, except for the fact that Emily didn't know he loved her. All that aside; he couldn't see his life without her in it. He wanted her in it, needed her in it… longed for it. He never would have dreamed the day would come when he would say those three words to her, and she wasn't even aware he had said them. Or at least he didn't think she had heard him.

But Emily had heard him say it. She had heard everything he had said since he came in the room. Through the fog and the haze in her brain she had heard him speaking to her, had heard his conversation with Dave. She had heard him cry for her, felt his touch and the tears that had dripped onto her cheek when he had kissed her forehead.

Emily was screaming at him that she was here and fighting but the words would not come out. She wanted to open her eyes but could not seem to find the strength to make them open no matter how hard she tried. She tried to move her hand in his as he held it, to no avail.

With no other option she listened to noises around her; listened to his soft voice as he spoke to her.

"Do you remember about a year ago when I got shot in the arm? Of course you do. I remember sitting in the back of that ambulance thinking how dumb I had been. I watched you and I saw how upset you had gotten. You went around to the side of that building thinking no one could see you but from where I was at I could see you. I watched as you slumped against the wall and started to cry. I was fixing to go to you when I saw Dave going over to you. I saw you try and wipe the tears away when he found you. I watched as he held as you cried. I should have been the one to comfort you. I wanted to tell you that day that I loved you and so many times after that but it never seemed to be the right time."

He smoothed her hair back as he spoke.

"I'm sorry I was scared before to open up to you with the one thing I should never been afraid to say to you."

The nurse came back in smiling at Hotch.

"Dr. Jones has decided to go ahead and stop the meds now. He said that she is doing great and showing no signs of swelling or any other brain injury." She said as she remove the the tube that went to the smaller IV bag from the main IV line before removing the small bag from the hook it was on.

"Thank you… I don't even know your name." Hotch said as he tried to remember if she had told him her name earlier.

"It's Sandra but everyone calls me Sandy."

"Thank you Sandy."

Sandy smiled at him again before leaving the room. Hotch sat there still holding her hand in his; squeezing it gently.

"Ok now it's up to you now to wake up sweetie. When you're ready you open those pretty brown eyes of yours and I'll be here when you do."


	7. Chapter 7

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 7**

"Ok now it's up to you now to wake up sweetie. When you're ready you open those pretty brown eyes of yours and I'll be here when you do."

It had been forty-three hours since Emily had been shot and fallen over the side of that God forsaken roof. Eighteen hours since they had taken her off the meds; sixteen hours since they removed the ventilator tube from her throat and replaced it with an oxygen tube in her nose. Thirteen hours since Emily had been moved to a private room on the fifth floor.

The team had long been finished with the paperwork closing out the case and Strauss had gone back to Quantico to take care of things there.

The team sat around her room chatting quietly trying not to wake Hotch who had long ago succumbed to the depths of sleep he had been trying so hard to fight. His head was resting on the side of Emily's bed near her waist, her hand folded in his.

Emily could hear the mumbled voices around her but what stuck in her mind at that moment was the warmth wrapped around her hand. She slowly opened her eyes to see Hotch asleep beside her. She gently slid her hand out of his grasp without waking him up. Emily reached up and pushed the hair back off his forehead before letting her fingers run through his hair over and over.

Hotch felt the fingers running through his hair and opened his eyes; blinking a couple of times before he realized whose hand was in his hair. Sitting up slowly her hand falling away as he did. He brought his gaze to her face to see her beautiful dark chocolate eyes staring back at him. A smile slowly crept up to her lips as she reached back up to touch his cheek.

"Emily?" Hotch said as tears formed in his eyes before he could control them.

"Hey." She said softly, her throat dry and cracking.

"Hey." Hotch said standing up so he could move closer to her; drawing the attention of the others in the room.

JJ and Garcia were the first to move, coming over to hug her gently.

"Hey Sweet Pea, it's good to see you awake." Garcia said as she pulled back allowing the others to move in around her.

"Hey kiddo, we've been worried about you." Dave said as he leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

Morgan leaned down and hugged her before giving the sternest look he could muster but he couldn't hide the smile behind his eyes.

"Don't ever do that to us again Princess."

Reid didn't speak he just gave her hug and a small kiss on the cheek.

"Come on guys let's go get the Dr. and give these two a minute ok." JJ said leading the group out of the room.

Before Hotch could say anything Dr. Jones came through the smiling at the two.

"Ah, Agent Prentiss it is so good to see you awake at last. Let me have a look at you." He looked at her checking her reflexes and motor skills, checked her blood pressure and heart rate. Hotch watched as he shined the light in her eyes checking her pupils' reaction to the light.

"Very good, everything seems to be fine with you young lady. You are one lucky woman Agent Prentiss. You should be able to go home by the end of the week so that gives me about three more days with you. We'll keep an eye on your oxygen levels for a little while and if all is good there then we can take the tube out in a couple of hours. Do you have any questions for me?"

All Emily could do was shake her head no.

"Ok well before I leave let me hear your voice just once. Can you tell me your name?"

"It's Emily Prentiss." Emily's voice cracked again as she spoke.

Dr. Jones smiled at her and reached over and poured her a little water.

"Here try this it will help with the scratchiness."

Emily took the cup and took a sip choking a little as she swallowed. He took the cup back and sat in on the table beside her bed.

"Well if you need anything or have any questions please have the nurse get me. It really is good to see you awake and doing so well. I'll see you later ok."

"Ok thank you Dr." She squeaked out quietly.

After he left Hotch moved back over to her and took her hand in his again. He couldn't seem to quit touching her in some way. It reassured him that she was still here.

"How are you really." He said with apprehension in his voice.

She looked and gave him a shaky smile.

"Ask me tomorrow when I've had to take all this in but right now I am ok." She said and wondered if she should say anything else to him. Debating internally; on whether or not to tell him that she had heard everything that he had said.

She looked down at her hand resting in her lap as she struggled to find the words to say. Her inner debate interrupted by his next words.

"God Emily you scared the hell out of me. I thought I had lost you." He said shaking his head trying to dislodge the memory from his brain.

"When I saw you go over the side I just knew you were gone. I… thought you were gone and I never got to…"

Emily watched as he struggled with his words; knowing what he was about to say.

"Aaron, I heard you. I heard everything you said to me."


	8. Chapter 8

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 8**

"Aaron, I heard you. I heard everything you said to me."

Hotch looked up quickly and his breath caught in his throat for moment.

"You did? Well uh… ok then… um. I meant it Emily. I love you. I don't know where we go from her but I know one thing for sure and that is that I love you. I don't know how you feel but I needed you to know. I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable but…"

Emily cut him off when she grabbed his shirt and pulled him down and kissed him lightly on his lips. Letting go of his shirt she felt him pull back slightly to look her in the eyes.

"I love you too Aaron. I don't know where we go from her either but I know where I want us to go." She stared at him for a long moment before she continued to speak. "Well what's the damage?" She asked, changing the subject.

Hotch told her about her injuries and being put into a coma and how Strauss had yelled at the nurse.

"You're kidding me right, since when does she have a heart?" Emily asked shocked.

"I'm serious, she was truly ashamed at how she has treated us in the past so don't be surprised if you get your own private apology when you get home. About that, I want you to stay with me when we get home. Dr. Jones doesn't want you to be alone for a while."

"I don't know Aaron if that is a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because… I don't know… it's just that I don't want get my hopes up at having a relationship with you and then have the rug pulled out from under me I guess. I care about you but is this something you really want and what about work? How would that work out? I love my job and I don't want to have to transfer out of the unit. What about you, are you willing to give up your career for this?"

"Emily slow down, we don't have give up anything, all we have to do is show we can do our jobs without are relationship getting in the way. The fraternization rules were made up mainly because of Dave. You know as well as I do how wild he was in his hay day. I think we can remain objective at work and make this between us work."

"What exactly is between us Aaron?"

"Hopefully the beginning of a beautiful relationship."

"Really Aaron, you're gonna quote Casablanca." She said laughing.

"Well I did change friendship to relationship because I think we are beyond friendship Emily."

"Yeah I think you are right. I want to see where we can go but what about Jack? How will he feel about this?"

"Jack already loves you Emily that is one thing you don't have to worry about. It may take him a little time for him to adjust to me being in a relationship but would be the case no matter who I dated. It's been just me and him since Haley."

"I just don't want him to think I want to replace her because that is the last thing I want him to feel."

"We'll sit down and talk to him together if that will make you feel better. Ok?"

"Ok." She said sighing. "We can do this. Can't we?"

"Absolutely." He said smiling down at her.

"Ok now on to more pressing matters. How bad do I look?"

"Well I think you look beautiful no matter how bad the bruising is."

"That bad huh. Do you have a mirror lying around anywhere?"

"No but I'm sure one of the girls has one. Let me see if they are out there." He leaned down and kissed her again before going to the door and peering out into the hallway to find the other five members of their family standing out there waiting.

"Hey guys you can come back in. JJ do you have a mirror with you? Emily wants to look at the damage done to her face."

"Yeah I do." She said digging in her purse to find it.

JJ walked over and handed the mirror to Emily.

"So, we'll talk later about…" JJ said nodding her head at Hotch and smiling.

Emily grinned back at her and winked.

The whole team saw the change in the two and and all had talked about when they were out of the room. They all agreed that it had been a long time coming and that were happy for them but had decided not to bring it up till the two decided to tell them.

"How are you feeling kiddo?" Dave asked concern in his voice.

Emily looked around at the members of her team and smiled.

"I'm good guys, really. I just need some rest and I'll be good as new I promise. My chest hurts a little but if I don't take too deep of a breath it doesn't hurt so bad. My body aches but I'm sure that will be better when I am able to get up and move around a little."

"You statistics show that only…" Reid started.

"Reid not now sweetie." JJ told him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean…"

"It's ok Reid, thank you for being my very own walking, talking encyclopedia." Emily smiled at him sweetly. She had always been amazed at vast amount of knowledge.

"Ok let me see what I look like." Emily said as she opened up the mirror.

They all heard her gasp softly before bringing her fingers up to her face.

"Damn, this looks bad. God you're supposed to be my friends why didn't you put some makeup o me while I was out of it. Well I don't think I'll be taking my annual Bureau ID photo in a couple of weeks they'll just have to use my old one." Emily said laughing, the others laughing with her.

"It's ok Princess I'm pretty sure they'll give you a pass if they don't I'll kick their asses for you." Morgan said still laughing.

"Alright everybody out Emily needs to rest. The sooner she gets better the sooner she can come home." Dave said as he ushered everyone out of the room.

Before he left he looked at his friends and smiled.

"You two behave and don't pull out the stitches." Dave gave her a quick kiss and left the two alone.

"So are you staying or are you going back to the hotel?" Emily asked Hotch praying he would stay.

"Of course I'm staying. I haven't left your side since you've been here."

Emily scooted over in the bed and looked at him.

"Lay with me for a while?"

Hotch climbed on the bed beside her and she laid her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her gently.

"I love you Aaron."

"I love you Emily."


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Just a tad bit of information for you. I was watching the very first episode this morning and the very first seen with Hotch and Haley were of them trying to pick a baby name and the first name he said was Sergio. Coincidence? I think not. (I Know Emily wasn't even a character yet but the connection to the name is awesome).**

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 9**

Hotch climbed on the bed beside her and she laid her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her gently.

"I love you Aaron."

"I love you Emily."

Three days later the team were on the jet heading home. Heading home and trying to put the three weeks behind them and move forward. The case had been extremely exhausting and throw in the fact that Emily had almost been killed it put a whole new perspective on life.

Emily slept on the couch on the jet with her feet propped up on Hotch's thighs while he rubbed her ankles absentmindedly. Dave had been watching the shift between the two all week and smiled to himself.

"It's a good thing Aaron."

"What's that Dave?"

"This thing between you and Emily, it's good. Just don't go fucking it up; she deserves to have you all the way invested in it or not at all. There is no in between Aaron."

"I know Dave, and I am in this fully and so is she. She is worried how this is going to change things at work though, among other things."

"What else is she worried about?"

"The team, Strauss, Jack to name a few."

"And what did you tell her?"

""That the frat rules were your fault…"

"Hey." Dave jumped in laughing.

"Don't sit there and try and deny it Dave. We both know how you are. I told her all we have to do is prove that we can still do our jobs with a relationship interfering in any way. Told her the team would be fine with it. Am I assuming too much in that?"

"No we all already had a wager on how long it would take you two to get together."

"When as this?" Hotch asked as eyebrows raised in question.

"About six months after I came back." Dave said shrugging his shoulders and smiling at him.

"I'm afraid to ask who won."

"I won the bet of course but I say you won in the long run." Dave said nodding his head at Emily.

Hotch looked down at her and smiled. "I would say that you are right."

"So what have you decided about Jack?"

"We are going to sit down and talk to him together. Emily wants him to be ok with this before we move forward but I have no doubt what so ever about how he will take it. He loves her already, a relationship will be a shock but I think he will be fine with it."

"And if he's not?"

"Then I'll travel down that road when it comes but I will not give up a chance with her because my five year old doesn't want me to date. She too important to me to give up because of something like that. He will just have to get used to the idea and he will be fine. Haley's last words to me were that she wanted me to make sure to teach him what it was to love and I can't do that if I'm not with someone I love and I love Emily withal my heart. Now I just need to show her and Jack that."

"You both can quit talking about me like I'm not here." Emily said as she tried to sit up.

Hotch quickly moved and helped her into a comfortable sitting position while Dave just laughed.

"So how much of our conversation did you hear Kiddo?"

"All of it, you two aren't as quit as you think. The others probably heard you too."

"Is that a bad thing? Hotch asked her.

"No it's not. I just don't want anybody to feel uncomfortable with this that's all."

Dave moved over and knelt on the floor in front of her, taking her hands in his.

"This is something that none of us is or could be uncomfortable with. We all knew it was eventually going to happen and we are happy for you both. Now quit thinking about it so much and just enjoy it. Ok?"

"Thank you, and I am trying to. It's a little hard not to think about the repercussions that come with this."

"Ok now look who is talking like I am not even here." Hotch said as he looked over at the two of them beside him.

"Pipe down Aaron. Don't monopolize her time you'll have plenty of that when we get home."

"Ok you two don't fight over me there is enough of me to go around."

"Look kiddo; you just let everyday come as it may and take everything in stride and you both will be fine. Aaron was right the frat rules are my fault entirely and there are ways around them. So just let him handle the work thing and you concentrate on getting better and getting back to work because it will definitely be boring without you around to keep everybody on track."

"I promise I will try not to worry so much." Emily said leaning over slightly to give him a hug.

Dave moved back to his seat and laid his back closing his eyes. Hotch slid closer to Emily and pulled her to his side squeezing her gently.

Emily looked up into his eye looking for any sign of doubt but found none. She smiled at him and then leaned up and kissed him gently on his lips before pulling back. Smiling up at him again, she said quietly "Thank you."

"For what?" He asked.

"For being here with right now, for believing that this will work, for having the courage to tell me you loved me."

"I do you know. Believe this will work but most importantly I love you."

"I love you too."

JJ, Penelope and Morgan just smiled at each other at what they had witnessed between the two before they settled back down and waited for the jet to land.

**A/N: Up next the conversation with Jack… and first night at Hotch's.**


	10. Chapter 10

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 10**

The ride to Hotch's apartment was quiet. Hotch parked and went around helping her out, picking her up in his arms.

"I can walk Aaron."

"I know but I want to carry you in. Humor me ok."

"Fine but don't make this habit, you know I don't like being fussed over."

"I know that too but it's the least I can do for you; now hold on tight and don't let go till I tell you to."

"Ok Aaron that could have so many different meanings behind it." Emily said smiling at him as he shifted her higher.

"Well you can take it however you want." Hotch said as he made his way to the elevator.

Once he made it to his front door he gave her the key so he wouldn't have to put her down. Not wanting to let go just yet. Emily turned the key and opened the door and Hotch pushed it shut behind him and he turned so she could turn the locks back sealing out the outside world.

Hotch walked over and sat down on the couch with her in his lap, hugging her to him gently not wanting to hurt her. Emily laid her on his shoulder and just sighed softly.

"This is nice, just the two of us with no team lurking around to see what we are doing. When is Jessica bringing Jack home and did you tell her I would be staying here for a while?" Emily said lifting her head so she could see his face.

Hotch looked at his watch before answering her.

"She should be here in about thirty minutes or so and the answer to your second is yes. I told her about you. I told her everything about what was going. She seemed shocked at first but that wasn't surprising to me. She did say that she was happy for me and that all Haley wanted in the end was for me to be happy even if we weren't together anymore. I think she was shocked more that it was you then the fact that I was in a relationship though. She remembers you from Haley's funeral; she said you seemed nice and that she would like to get to know you especially since you were going to be a big part of Jack's life."

"Ok that kind of scares me a little bit. That she is so accepting of this, of me. She doesn't think we did anything while Haley was alive does she?"

"No she knows me better than that. I would never cheated on Haley, even if… I admit now that I have always been attracted to you. From the first time at met you when you were home on summer break when I worked for your mother I found you extremely attractive."

"Well now that you mention it I did find you rather striking back then Agent Hotchner. You were always so professional and determined, some things never change."

They both heard the knock on the door and scooted Emily off his lap setting her down beside him on the couch before going to see who it was. Opening the door there was Jessica and Jack standing in front of him.

"Daddy! I missed you." Jack said as he ran throwing his arms around Hotch's legs. Hotch reached down and picked his up in to his arms.

"I missed you to buddy. Very much. Jessica why didn't you use your key?"

"I didn't want to make Emily feel uncomfortable with me just walking in on you guys." Jessica said quietly looking over Hotch's shoulder to where Emily was sitting on the couch.

"Well come in and sit for a little bit."

They walked back over to where Emily was sitting and Jessica smiled at her before sitting in the chair across from them.

"Jack can you say hi to Miss Emily?" Hotch said as Jack looked over to Emily.

"Hey miss Emily. What are you doing here? Did you come to play with me again?"

"Jack, Miss Emily is going to stay with us for a little while because she got hurt and needs someone to look after her. Do you think you can help with that?"

"Sure. Did you get hurt by a bad guy?" Jack asked Emily.

"Yes sweetie I did. But your dad has been taking good care of me and when I feel a little better I would love to play with you. You know what we could do since we can't?"

"No, what?" Jack said tilting his head to the side eyeing her.

"We could pop some popcorn and watch a movie before you have to go to bed. If it's ok with your daddy." Emily said looking over to Hotch.

"Can we daddy? Please?" Jack begged excitedly.

"Of course we can. How about you come help me run a bath for Miss Emily."

After the two Hotchner men went upstairs Emily sat staring at her hands.

"You don't have to that you know. I'm not going to bite your head off Emily."

"I'm sorry Jessica this is just… I don't know what to say."

"I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable Emily."

"It's not that; it's just that I was worried about if you thought Aaron and I had a relationship before…"

"Emily stop. I know Aaron and I know he would never have done that to Haley even when in the end she had turned to someone else he remained faithful to her. I know that so quit worrying ok. I haven't seen him smile like that in a very long time. I think you are going to be good for them, the only thing I ask is to please don't shut me out of Jack's life."

Emily's head had shot up when she had said Hailey had cheated on Hotch.

"I didn't know Haley cheated on him, he never said anything."

"And he probably won't either. You know how he is, he is a very private person and that was hard time for him. Haley told him after the divorce about it and he had just said that he had suspected as much and that was it. He never yelled about it but I saw how upset he had gotten. I told Haley she was wrong in what she was doing to him and she knew that but she needed that connection with someone that she wasn't getting from him. She wasn't made for the kind of life you two lead but you know and understand how the jobs affects him. So I think that makes you already closer to him then Haley could ever get. She couldn't accept that it's not just a job to him, that he is the job. You already know that."

"Yes, I do know. I want to tell you this and please don't take it the wrong way. I liked Haley but I thought she was crazy for walking out on him. I mean how could any woman walk away from such a kind hearted and passionate man like Aaron Hotchner and I'm not talking about sex because we have moved to that part of the relationship yet. I'm talking about the passion he has for his work and for Jack and I assume he had the same passion for her to, he has this fire in him that just seems to engulf him when he works a case. Yes he can be very head strong at times but it's those times that you see that fire that drives him."

"See that is what I'm am talking about; Haley never saw that in him, not the way you do. You understand him in ways she never could and that is what he needs."

"Thank you; I want you to know that I am not trying to replace Haley in Jack's eyes. I want him to remember her and I promise you that I would never say or do anything to hurt his memory of her. I don't want your relationship with him to change either. You are his connection to her and that is what he needs."

"Thank you for that."

Hotch had stood quietly at the top of the stairs listening to their conversation and his heart swelled at the acceptance between the two woman. He started back down the stairs and over to the two smiling at them as he sat down by Emily.

"So are you ready for your bath?"

"Yes, I can't wait to feel clean again."

"Aaron I' gonna run tell Jack I said bye and that I will see him after school tomorrow. You do still need me to pick him up don't you?"

"Yes I do at least for the next couple of weeks."

"Ok, it was nice seeing you again Emily and talking with you. Aaron you make sure she rest, she will need all her strength trying to wrangle in Superman up there."

"I will and thanks for everything Jess. I'll see you tomorrow." Hotch said as he walked her out.

Turning around he went back a scooped Emily up and carried her upstairs to the master bath before setting her down on the tiled floor.

"Do you need help or can you get it?"

"I think I can get but thanks, I'll holler for you if I have trouble.

**A/N: Sorry this was getting too long so I had to cut the Jack talk but it will come up in the next chapter. Hope you liked this chapter.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: OK here it is. The talk with Jack… sorry I didn't have this up earlier but I spent the day at the Dr.s I hate checkups and waiting 2 hours to get in and then get a prescription for some Singulair that I can't afford. I mean who wants to spend $173 for 30 pills? Not me. **

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 11**

Turning around he went back a scooped Emily up and carried her upstairs to the master bath before setting her down on the tiled floor.

"Do you need help or can you get it?"

"I think I can get but thanks, I'll holler for you if I have trouble.

After he left closing the door behind him, Emily sat down on the side of the tub taking her socks off. She looked up and noticed Hotch had laid her some clothes out on the counter and she smiled at the fact that he felt he needed to wait on her. She found that comforting, he made her feel safe. Those walls she had spent her whole life building just crumbled; falling away and leaving her exposed to him, yet she found herself instead of being scared she felt exhilarated. She wanted to be able to let go of her past and allow him to see who she is, all of her.

Emily stood and slid the sweats she had worn home from the hospital down her long legs, kicking them off to the side. Reaching for the hem of her t-shirt she pulled it up over her stomach only to stop and wince at the pain in her shoulder. She tried again but could not get her arm up high enough to get it off. Damn. She thought; she didn't want Hotch to see her like this with bruises all her body. She went to the door opening it she called to Hotch.

Hotch came in and tapped lightly on the door before opening it to see Emily sitting on the side of the tub.

"I can't get my arm high enough to get my shirt off." She stated not looking at him.

Hotch shut the door back and walked over to her and pulled her to her feet. Hotch took the hem of her t-shirt between his fingers sliding it up her stomach. Taking one of her arms he pushed it through the sleeve doing the same with the other before pulling it over her head, dropping it on top of the sweats on the floor.

Hotch's eyes traveled her body and he let out a small gasp at the sight of her.

"Emily… God I'm sorry."

She had bruises and scrapes all over her. Even after a week the bruise were still a dark purple color. He let his fingers trace the one darkest one on her side below the bandage under her arm. Her breath caught in her throat and her skin broke out in goose bumps from his touch, he smiled at her.

"Sorry." He said letting his hand drop from her.

"It's fine Aaron, it didn't hurt." She said smiling back at him.

"Can you get the rest ok or do you need help?"

"Uh, can you unhook my bra before you leave?"

Hotch turned her around so he could unclasp the hook, she held it up to her breasts because the last thing she wanted was to flash him the girls right now. Especially when she was too sore to do anything intimate with him right now; not that she didn't want to but she wanted to have free range of her movements when they finally made love. She didn't want to be restricted because she might be in pain. Slowly turning around she saw Hotch avert his eyes away from her.

"Um if you think you can handle it I'll let you get back to your bath." He said before turning reaching for the doorknob.

"Thank you Aaron… for everything." She said before he walked out closing the door behind him.

Emily slid down in the bubbles carefully, she was thankful for the waterproof bandages covering her wounds. She laid back in the water and sighed deeply, it felt like forever since she felt clean. She had two quick showers at the hospital with a nurse standing guard making her rush through, so the water lapping around her body was a warm welcome. She stayed there for what seemed like hours which in fact had only been about twenty minutes before she sat up and pulled the plug out of the tub and turned the shower on as hot as she could stand it. Washing off as careful and thoroughly as she could she turned and held her head back under the spray of the water raising her good arm pushing her hair back off her face. Washing her hair took more time then she thought it would being as she only had one good arm to raise. She turned the water off and pulled back the shower curtain and grabbed the towel Hotch had left for her. Drying off as quickly as she could she pulled on the underwear he had laid out with the other clothes. Obviously he had gotten someone to go to her apartment and get her some things she would need while being here.

She finished getting dressed and and tried to dry her hair the best she could before going to see what Hotch and Jack were doing. She found the two of them in the kitchen talking quietly.

"Hey Jack, you ready to pop some popcorn and watch a movie with me?" Emily asked as she came to stand beside the counter in front of them.

"Yeah but daddy said you and him wanted to talk to me first."

"That's right buddy, we wanted to talk to you about something very important. Emily and I have decided to start dating and we wanted to know what you thought about that."

Jack looked at Emily then back at his dad and then back to Emily. Staring at her for a minute.

"I thought you were already. Isn't that why she is staying with us now?"

"No Jack that is not why she is staying, she is staying because she got hurt and I offered to take care of her till she gets better. Do you care if daddy dates Miss Emily?"

"No, 'cause she makes you smile daddy. You haven't done that for a long time. I like Miss Emily; she makes me the best pizza."

"I thought you liked my pizza?"

"I do but hers is better." Jack said turning back to Emily.

"Will you be able to read me stories like my mommy use to? Daddy tries but he can't do the voices like mommy did, can you do voices?"

"I can do voices Jack and I would love to read you stories just like your mommy did. Maybe you can help me read them and do voice to, how does that sound?"

"Ok, but I'm not very good at reading yet."

"That's ok we can make up our own stories sometimes."

"Will you be sleeping in my daddy's room with him?"

Emily blushed and look at Hotch for help.

"Well Jack where do you want me to sleep?"

"You can sleep in daddy's room so he can hear you if you have a bad dream. He has bad dreams sometimes to and you can help him to." Jack said.

The small boy looked back and forth between the two adults before speaking again.

"Can we watch a movie now?"

"Sure buddy let me go set the DVD player up. What movie do you want to watch?"

"Ummmmm. How about… The Lion King? Can we watch that one Miss Emily?"

"Whatever you want to watch is fine with me." Emily said tousling his hair a little.

Hotch went to put the movie on and Emily found the popcorn and put it in the microwave and turned it on.

"Miss Emily?"

"Yes Jack what is it sweetie?"

"Do you think my mommy remembers me in heaven?" Jack asked, his bottom lip quivering a little and tears coming to his eyes.

Emily rushed over to him and pulled him into her arms.

"Oh Jack honey; of course your mommy remembers you and she is watching over you all the time and she she is up there thinking that what a big boy you have become and that she is very proud of you."  
"You really think so?"

"I do Jack. Your mommy loved you very, very much and she will always be there watching you as you grow up."

"Sometimes after I go to bed and daddy has come back down here I talk to my mommy."

"That's ok to do Jack. You don't have to wait till you go to bed to talk to her; you can do that whenever you want too. Sometimes I talk to my daddy too. It makes me feel closer to him even though he is in heaven now."

"You do?"

"Sure all the time. I talk to him and tell him about things going on in my life and it makes me feel better. Does your daddy know you talk to your mommy?"

"No I didn't want him to get mad at me."

"Jack your daddy would never be mad at you for something like that. Maybe you could tell him and sometimes you can talk to her together."

Hotch stood in the doorway and listened to Emily as she comforted his son. His heart swelled, loving her more at how selfless she was with him. He walked over to them.

"I would like that too Jack. Whenever you want to we can talk to mommy ok."

"Ok daddy. Is the movie ready?"

"Yes sir. Let's go cuddle on the couch." Hotch said picking up the boy out of Emily's arms.

Emily sat there for a moment trying to fight the tears to no avail. Hotch came back in and over to her. Standing behind her he wrapped his arms around her bending his and kissed her on the neck.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For helping Jack. If he had asked me that I don't know if I would have had the right words to say to him. You are good with and you handled that very well."

"Well? I am sitting here in tears and you call that well. He broke my heart Aaron, all I want to do is take away all that pain and make it better. I'm sorry if I said anything out of line."

"You didn't, you said everything that was right. That is why you are good with him. So thank you again. Now let's get the popcorn and go watch us some Lion King." He said kissing her neck again.


	12. Chapter 12

**One Second Can Everything**

**Chapter 12**

An hour later Jack was asleep with his head in Emily's lap and his feet in Hotch's lap. Hotch gently moved Jack's feel off his lap and stood up stretching before he bent to pick up Jack. He carried the sleeping boy to his room and tucked him into bed and kissed him gently on the forehead before walking over and turning on his nightlight and closing the door behind him as he left.

Hotch made it back down stairs to find Emily had moved from the couch and was cleaning their mess up.

"You shouldn't be doing that you should be resting."

"I'm not an invalid Aaron. I'm just picking up a little, you know how I am. I can't stand a mess and it's not that strenuous for me. It's just washing a few bowls and glasses. Not a biggie." She said with a smile.

"I know you are not in invalid Emily. I just don't want you to overdo it your first day out of the hospital." He said with concern in his voice.

"I'm not I promise."

She finished what she was doing and turned to face Aaron who was watching her intently.

"What?"

"Nothing really… it's just you are so beautifully." He said smiling at her.

"Oh come on I look like I got ran over by a Mack truck… feel like it too."

"Well you're still beautiful to me."

"Thank you." Emily said blushing slightly, dropping her gaze to the floor.

Hotch move to stand right in front of her; tilting her face so he could see her face. He traced her lips with his thumb before lowering his lips to hers, brushing them lightly. Emily leaned into him raising her good arm to wrap around his neck and her other arm around his waist. Hotch slid his hands through her and cupped the back of her head, holding her to him.

Emily sighed against his mouth and opened hers allowing him to invade her mouth with his tongue before slipping hers past his lips. Their tongues dancing around each other as the kiss turned heated causing Hotch to moan and pull her closer to him, their bodies touching from chest to thighs. Emily could not keep her hands idle with his tongue doing such wonderful things to her mouth. She ran one hand through his hair while the other crept under the hem of his shirt, to mold against the muscles of his bare back. She moaned at the contact of his skin beneath her fingers and pushed her body closer to his, as if that was possible.

Hotch pulled his lips from hers and leaned his forehead against hers.

"Em… we need to stop. If we don't I won't be able to control myself and the last thing I want to do is hurt you."

"I know." She panted trying to catch her breath. "God, do you even know how great a kisser you are?"

"No, I had no idea." Ha said smugly.

"Come on let's get you into bed you need to rest, you've had a long day."

Hotch took her hand in his and lead her to his bedroom and over to the bed she would be sharing with him. Pulling back the covers he motioned for her to climb in before going over to his dresser and getting his clothes that he would wear to bed. He usually only wore his boxer briefs but he knew that she would be uncomfortable with that right now.

"I'm going to take a quick shower, you lay there and rest. I'll be out in a minute."

Emily nodded her head at him and laid back on the pillow behind, her mind wondering to the events of the past week. She smiled at how far things had come between her and Hotch in such a short amount of time. She was scared and excited at the same time; not sure what to expect at work and that scared her but she knew she wanted this with Hotch and that is what she was excited about. The uncertainty of his feelings had been replaced with the full knowledge of his love for her. Her smile grew wider and she was so lost in thought she didn't hear him come out of the bathroom.

"What are you thinking about to put that kind of smile on your face?" he said as he looked down at her.

"Us. I was thinking about us and what lies ahead for us." She said as she watched him walk around to the other side of the bed and climb under the covers with her before reaching over and turning the lamp off that was on the bedside table.

Hotch slid farther down on the bed and turned to face her, she was lying on her back staring at the ceiling.

"Em, you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine, just a little nervous that's all."

"Don't be. Nothing is going to happen till you get ready for it to."

"I know that and that is the problem. I am ready for something to happen but I know my body isn't ready for that."

"You'll know when the time is right and I am happy with just holding you for now… if you want me to."

"I would like that." She said as she rolled on her side facing him.

Hotch slid over closer and pulled her into his arms gently and she wrapped her arm around his stomach and laid her head on his chest after he rolled onto his back. Emily leaned up and kissed Hotch on his chin.

"I was thinking about us too Em. I'm going to talk to Strauss and the Director tomorrow. I don't want to hide this like you are my dirty little secret or something. I want to be upfront with them and whatever happens happens. If it takes me stepping down as Unit Chief I will."

"Aaron you can't, the teams needs you."

"If it takes that for us to work then that is what I will do. You are worth the sacrifice Emily; it wouldn't be much of a sacrifice if it keeps you with me."

"I don't know what to say..."

"Don't say anything just let me take care of everything. You just worry about getting better."

"I want to go with you. You shouldn't have to face that frigid bitch by yourself."

"I don't think you should. It might be too much for you right now."

"Aaron, I can handle my own with her I just want to be there, I won't say anything if you don't want me too,"

"Yeah right Emily. You couldn't keep your mouth shut even if your lips were sewn shut." He laughed out quietly. "If you're really set on going fine but you have to promise to take it easy."

"I promise."

"Now go to sleep tomorrow looks like it will be a long day."

"Goodnight Aaron." She whispered against his skin.

"Goodnight Emily." Ha said and kissed the top of her head.


	13. Chapter 13

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 13**

The next morning Hotch and Emily walked through the glass doors into the bullpen of the BAU. Emily tried to let go of Hotch's hand but he held her hand firmly in his.

"Don't Em, I'm not going to hide this from anyone." Hotch said pulling her closer to him as she tried to pull away.

"Aaron…"

"No Em, we aren't working right now and I'm not about to let anyone tell me who I can or cannot see."

"Princess! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at home recuperating." Morgan said breaking up their conversation.

"Hey Morgan, I just came with Hotch to talk to Strauss about some things. Where is everybody else at? I want to see them before I go home."

Hotch's heart sped up and he smiled when she referred to his home as being home.

"Reid is in the break room and JJ is in Pen's dungeon, not really sure where Dave disappeared to but he was here about fifteen minutes ago.

"Aaron I'm going to see Reid for a minute, wait on me before you go see Strauss. Ok?"

""I will, I promised you could be there and that hasn't changed."

Emily walked over to the break room and saw Reid sitting at one of the tables, engrossed in whatever he was reading. She had been worried about him for days. Since she had been hurt everyone had come and talked to her about how they were feeling about it, everyone but him. Now she needed to find out what was wrong with him.

"Reid?" She said quietly.

"Emily!" Reid said surprised at seeing her standing there.

"Can I talk to you a minute?"

"Uh yeah sure, what do you want to talk about?"

"You; you haven't talked to me since I was hurt. Are you doing ok?"

"Yeah… I'm fine. It's just…"

"Come on Reid it's me, you know you can talk to me about anything. So please tell me what is wrong."

"I almost lost my friend and I didn't know how to talk to you about it."

"Oh Reid, I know I scared everybody and I am sorry about that. I promise it was totally unintentional on my part." She said laughing.

"See, you always do that."

"Do what Reid?"

"You turn everything into a joke. You almost died and you think it's funny."

"Reid that's not it at all; I know it's not funny but I have to laugh or I would just sit in a corner somewhere and cry. You know that isn't me Reid. I have to do this my way so I can make sense of it all. I'm sorry if you think I am taking it too lightly because I'm not, I'm just trying to deal with it. You are one of my closest friends and I thought you of all people would understand after everything you went through with Tobias Hankle and the whole dilaudid thing. You dealt with that on your own terms and I just assumed you would understand. I guess I was wrong, I'm sorry Reid but I have to do this the only way that I know how." With that Emily turned to leave.

"Emily wait, I'm sorry. You're right I should have understood and I'm sorry I didn't come to you and tell you how I was feeling. It scared the hell out of me when we heard Dave call for help and then we found out what happened and it was just too much for me I guess. You almost died and all I could think was that I didn't get to say goodbye. I'm sorry Emily."

"Reid it's ok, I'm ok I promise and as soon as I am better I will be back and I promise you I will help you torture Morgan a little when I do."

"Promise?" Reid said smiling at her.

"Absolutely." She said as she hugged him.

"Well I have to go meet up with Aaron; we have a meeting with Strauss in few minutes. I'll talk to you later ok."

"Ok, good luck with Strauss."

"Thanks."

Emily found Hotch waiting for her in his office.

"You ready to get this over with?" She asked as she walked in the door.

"Anytime you are. You didn't see Dave out there anywhere did you?"

"No I was talking to Reid."

"How did that go?"

"It went good. I'll tell you over lunch later."

Hotch raised his hand about to knock on the door to Strauss's office when the door open and there stood Dave, buckling his belt back up. The shock was clear on his face. Strauss was standing by her desk smoothing her skirt back into place, her face flushed.

"Aaron… Emily… um what are you doing here?"

Aaron and Emily looked at each other and then back to Dave.

"Dave … so what have you been up to." Emily said teasingly, smiling at him.

"Um… Erin… I mean Strauss wanted to see me and go over an old case report with her. I got to go, I'll see you later. Bye." At that Dave ran off down the hall on his way to lock himself in his office.

"Aaron, Emily please come in and have a seat." Strauss directed.

"Why did you call this meeting for Aaron?"

"Well Emily and I wanted to inform you that we have recently started a relationship. We know about the frat rules but we believe we can do our jobs and not have it interfere."

"How long has this been going on Aaron?"

"Since Emily was hurt."

"Well I don't know what to say to this being that you kind of caught Dave and I in a… um let's just say a less then professional meeting. I guess if you can show me that you can remain professional on the job then I see no problem with this recent turn of events. As for what you two witnessed let's just keep that between the four of us and I think we all can come out of this happy."

Emily looked at her in shock and disbelief.

"So that's it? That's all we have to do? Keep things professional?"

"Emily I know we have not always seen eye to eye but I can assure you that I do not wish to harm either of you personally or professionally. I want to offer you my apology for everything I have put you through in the past. I truly am sorry Emily for everything. I really do not have a problem with you and Aaron seeing each other. After everything the two of you have been through you deserve to be happy."

"Wow. I don't know what to say to that… um thank you. So if we keep your secret you'll keep ours?"

"No Emily, you keep my secret and I smooth things over with the Director. If you both are going to be in a real relationship there won't be any sneaking around. The Director will need to be informed about it and I can make sure that he is in agreement with me and there won't be any repercussions from it."

"Thank you ma'am I really appreciate this."

"Now Aaron, take Emily home and make her rest. Emily we need you in tip top shape so you can get back to work. I'll see you soon and take of yourselves."

"Thank you again ma'am."

Emily and Hotch walked out of the office in total disbelief and utter shock.

"That was way too easy Aaron."

"I told you she has changed and I don't think it hurt that we busted her and Dave. Come on let's get you home."


	14. Chapter 14

**One Second Can Change Everything**

**Chapter 14**

It had been been five weeks since Emily's accident and Hotch knew that she had a doctor's appointment this morning. Emily had worried all night the night before about not being cleared for duty and Hotch had worried about her being cleared to soon. He knew and trusted her doctor and valued his opinion highly but that being said didn't make Hotch feeling any better about the whole situation.

Their relationship moved along slowly but happily. That had not moved beyond the heavy petting stage yet, not that they didn't want to but Emily wanted to wait for being fully cleared by the doctor before taking that next step and he was totally behind her decision. That didn't make it any easier on him when she shared his bed every night though. Waking up with her wrapped in his arms was almost more than he could take but he wanted her to be comfortable and he wanted their first time to be perfect because that is what she deserved more than anything.

Hotch had to go into the office for budget meetings with Strauss and the director so he couldn't couldn't go with Emily to the doctors. He knew if she got the all clear today that she would most likely be going back to her apartment by the end of the day and all he really wanted her to do was stay… forever if he had his way. He wanted to bring the subject up but he also didn't want to scare her away thinking that it was moving too fast for that. He was ready but was not sure if she was or not. Hotch sat that and listened to the other two talking around him, trying to pay attention. He knew if he lost the coffee budget Dave and Reid would kill him not to mention what Emily would do to him if she came back to work to no coffee machine. She would probably skin him alive and hang him from the flag pole in front of the building in all his skinless glory.

Emily sat at the red light contemplating how she wanted the night to go. She had gone to the store and got things to make a romantic dinner for Hotch but she had also went by her favorite lingerie store 'Fashion Fantasy Night and Day Erotic Attire' in Manassas, about eighteen miles from Quantico. She got a three piece baby doll set, it was a black fancy lace with sheer ruffled trim around the hem, and the lace was see through just enough to tease Hotch's senses. It had a matching pair of sheer panties and a sheer jacket style robe with ¾ sleeves with a lace trim. Emily hoped Hotch would like it on her but was very nervous for him to actually see her in it. She had never been this unnerved about anything or anyone in her entire life. She wanted to give him a perfect night and she wasn't about to let a big case of nerves get in the way of giving him just that.

Emily got home and finished dinner and put in the oven on warm and went and took a shower. After her shower she put on her surprise for Hotch and the set out to light all of the candles she had set around the bedroom, casting a romantic glow around the room. She had changed out the sheets with the ones she had gotten the week before and hid in the closet. They were red satin with a black corded trim at the top.

Emily went back down stairs and waited till she heard the key in the door and then ran back to the bedroom and got on the bed to wait for Hotch to find her.

Hotch opened the door to the smell of dinner but no sight of Emily anywhere.

"Emily? Where are you?" He called out with no response.

He took the stairs two at a time to see his bedroom door closed and then he got worried. The bedroom door was hardly ever closed and never before bed time. He went and pushed the door open to see Emily sitting on the bed in the sexiest thing he had ever seen with glowing light all around her. He just stood there staring at her unable to move or even speak. Emily took his reaction as a good sign and sat up on her knees and wiggled her finger at him to come here and he immediately did as he was told, coming to stop in front of her beside the bed.

Sitting all the way up on her knees she wrapped her arms around Hotch's neck.

"Hey." She said smiling at him.

"Hey." He said as he wrapped his arms around her pulling her up against him.

"What's all this Em?" He asked as he felt her start kissing the side of his neck.

"This is called seduction Aaron and before you ask what I am doing, I am trying to seduce you so be a good little bot and play along." She whispered against his ear before taking his earlobe between her teeth, biting it gently. She smiled at the hiss he let out against his will at what she was doing to him.

Emily pushed Hotch's jacket off his shoulders and down his arms before moving on to loosen his tie. She the tie over his head without untying it all the way and threw it behind her, to where she didn't know and didn't care at the moment. She made quick work of the buttons on his shirt. Pulling it open she trailed kisses across his chest before biting the flesh over his heart and then licking it soothingly. Hotch had never seen her this way, so forceful, so enticing, so sensually sexy.

Hotch pulled back slightly to look at her, taking in every inch of her pale skin that he could see. Licking his lips; they had suddenly felt like they were as dry the Sahara.

"God Em, you're so beautiful." He said as his eyes flowed over her again.

"Thank you." She whispered shyly before looking up at him again. She moved her hands and removed her robe slowly throwing it to the side.

"Do you like it Aaron?"

"Very much."

Hotch moved closer pulling her back into his arms and leaned down and brushed her lips with his tenderly.

Emily moaned and leaned her bodily into him wrapping her arms around his neck once again. She opened her mouth sliding her tongue along his bottom lip before pushing her way past his lips to invade his mouth. The pressure from her lips pulled a deep moan from him and she felt her hands go to hair, roughly tangling them there. Emily laid back on the bed and pulled him down on top of her before finding his belt with her hands. Unbuckling it and freeing the button of his pants before sliding the zipper down; pushing his pants and boxer briefs down as far as she could. Hotch quickly stood up to finish removing the rest of his clothes before settling himself back down over her.

Emily could feel his need for her pressed against her core and she let out a whimper as he wrapped her legs around his waist and ground against her.

"Aaron…" She moaned longingly. She wanted more, needed more. They had waited for this for so long, that the fire within them seemed to consume them within a matter of seconds.

Hotch leaned up on his knees and pulled her to sit on his thighs as he pulled that sexy scrap of lace over her head before pushing her gently back down to the bed to remove her matching panties. Hotch pulled her back up to sit on his thighs again, pulling her closer till her wet core brushed against his hard cock bringing a pleasurable moan from both of them.

"Emily are you sure you're ready?"

"God yes Aaron… I'm so far beyond ready… please." She begged him to continue.

Hotch lowered his lips to hers as she began to rock her hips sliding her wetness against his shaft. He was quickly losing himself in her; the feel of her against him was the only thing he could think about. The intense need for air was the only reason he pulled himself away from her luscious lips but that didn't stop him from using his lips somewhere else. He lowered his head to her breasts and flicked his tongue over one of her nipples before pulling it into his hot mouth, sucking on it fervently.

He could feel her juices flow over him making him instantly harder, which he never thought would be possible. He moved his hand between them and found her dripping core, just begging for him to take her hard and fast. But he wouldn't do that tonight, tonight she deserved to be made love to not to be fucked like they were rabbits. She deserved the tenderness that he could give her. That he wanted to give her.

"Emily… God you're so wet and hot." He moaned against her breast.

He pushed his fingers through her folds and found the one spot that was begging to be touched. He rubbed across her bud once, twice and then she was begging him for more.

"Aaron please…I need you… now, please." She begged wantonly.

Hotch brought his lips up to her neck and sucked on her pulse point, marking her at the same time he raised her up and slid into her wet heat and then bit her on the same spot he had been marking.

Emily threw her head back and moaned his name loudly into the confines of the bedroom. He pushed down on her till he was fully sheathed by her walls. Holding her, still he wrapped her legs around behind him. Feeling her rotate her hips he knew she ready and he began to thrust into her slowly. Over and over he pushed in and out of her agonizingly slow, torturing her, wanting to draw out her pleasure.

Emily's mind was swimming from the things he was doing to her. Never had she had a lover make her feel like this before, so desired, so loved. He brought Emily to the edge of her peak but not letting her fall over the edge yet.

He listened to the sounds he was drawing from her, reveled in the fact that he could make her sound like this. The gentle push and pull between them was fading and a more intense heat was taking over in its place. The heat driving him on to be bolder then he had ever been with anyone else including Haley.

Hotch lowered Emily back on the bed and moved over her again pulling one of her legs up and put it over his shoulder as he pushed back into her harder than before. Emily cried out at the change in angle and how far it had him seated in her. She felt fuller then she ever had. Places in her being touched that had never been touched before.

"Oh Aaron… yes." She cried out and it egged him on, pushing him closer to his own release. One that he wasn't ready for yet, not till he knew he had brought her to her own release.

"Em… tell me what you want… tell me what you like."

She looked into his eyes and the passion that was begging to let out. She knew he hadn't let go, that he was still holding back. She wanted to see him lose control, wanted to see him let go of all those things he had never let anyone see before and she wanted to the one to finally see that animalistic side of him. The raw truth of his passion, she wanted it, all of it. She needed it.

"I want you, all of you Aaron don't hold back. You won't hurt me I promise. Take me harder Aaron, the way I know I you want to."

Hotch growled at her words, the last threads of his control broke and he slammed into her harder and faster, moaning her name over and over.

"Yes… God yes Aaron. Let go baby. Give it to me however you want."

Emily threw her head back against the pillow arching her back toward him and cried out her release as he flew through her. Hotch quickly pulled out of her and flipped her over onto her stomach pulling her up onto her hands and knees before driving back into her.

"Emily… so tight… So perfect…" he moaned as he pounded into her at a relentless pace.

"That's it baby… harder… harder Aaron." She moaned as she felt her second climax in the pit of her stomach.

Hotch quickened his pace and drove into her harder. Bending over her he reached around and took her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, pinching and rolling it between his fingers.

Emily moaned at the sensation and dropped her head down before throwing it back again moaning louder.

"Oh God… fuck Em… so good."

Hotch thrust into he repeatedly, harder and harder till he felt her walls clench around him again and that was all it took for him and he followed her over the edge with a feral growl from deep in his chest.

Emily collapsed on the bed and felt Hotch follow her, landing on top of her back before rolling over beside her pulling her into his arms. They lay there trying to catch their breaths; Hotch gently rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"I'm sorry Em."

"For what?"

"Because I wanted our first time together to be special; I wanted it to be perfect for you."

"Aaron it was. I couldn't ask for anything better than that. It was like a fantasy come true. I don't think it could possibly be better than it already was."

Hotch pulled her closer and they lay there for a while and basked in the afterglow of their union. Hotch finally go the nerve to ask her what he had been waiting for the perfect time to ask her and he didn't think it could be any more perfect.

"Em, how do you feel about staying here with me and Jack permanently?"

"Are you asking me to move in Aaron?"

"Well yeah I am. I love having you here and Jack loves having you here and I thought the next logical step would be for us to move in together. If you would rather it be your place then that's fine or we could find a new place that's bigger if you want. I love you Emily and I can't see my life without you being in all the time. Please say you will at least think about it."

"Aaron I don't have to think about it I know my answer already."

"Well do you want to let me in on what it is?" He said smiling at her with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"My answer is yes. Yes I would love to move in together, but we might have to find a bigger place later because Jack is getting older and he is going to want his own space someday and maybe… I don't know… we could try for a baby sister for him later. You know in a few years maybe. If you want to that is."

"Emily Prentiss I love you and I would love to have a child with you but I won't do it without putting a ring on your finger first."

"Well I wouldn't mind a ring on my finger."

"Ok so let me get this straight. Did we just agree to get married?"

"I believe we did Aaron."

"Well I guess we need to go out and pick you out a ring. First thing tomorrow because tonight I plan on ravishing you till you tell me to stop."

He pulled her into another kiss and they just let the world and all their old fears fade away.


End file.
